Welcome back to a new school year!

We are excited to begin a fantastic term full of exciting learning opportunities. In English, we will be exploring the world of fantasy through reading and writing, as well as creating our own poems. In History, we will travel back in time to discover life from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, linking our learning with Art as we study and create prehistoric drawings. In Geography, we will investigate the fascinating continent of Antarctica and find out what and who lives there and how people live in such an extreme environment. In PE, we will be developing our orienteering skills and revising a range of net and wall ball skills. Meanwhile, in Science and DT, we will be exploring electrical circuits and learning how electricity can be used in everyday life. We can't wait to share all of these exciting experiences with the class and look forward to a wonderful term of learning together!

 

Useful websites:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/daily10

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ordering-and-sequencing/coconut-ordering

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers/articles/zkdy2sg

Week 5

This week in Art, as part of our prehistoric unit of work, we have been exploring how natural materials can be used to create pigments and produce different colours. The children investigated a range of food products, learning how people in prehistoric times made paints by using resources found in their environment. They enjoyed experimenting with different materials and discovering how colours can be created from nature.

In Maths,  we have been learning how to measure and calculate perimeter. We used centimetres (cm) and millimetres (mm) to measure the lengths of sides accurately. We then added the lengths together to find the total distance around different shapes. We practised using rulers carefully and explained our methods using mathematical vocabulary.

In Geography,  we have been investigating the physical features of Antarctica. We explored the continent’s icy landscape, including its glaciers, ice sheets, mountains and surrounding oceans. Through maps, photographs and research activities, we developed our understanding of this unique environment and the challenges faced by the scientists who live and work there.

Week 4

In English, we have been learning how to use inverted commas to show what a character is saying in a piece of writing. We practised punctuating direct speech correctly, remembering to put inverted commas around the spoken words and use appropriate punctuation.

In History,  we have been investigating the prehistoric settlement of Skara Brae. We explored what life was like for the people who lived there, looking at the homes, tools and artefacts that have been discovered.

In Music, we have been learning about ballads and exploring the song Space Oddity by David Bowie. We listened to the song and discussed how the lyrics tell a story about Major Tom's journey into space. To help us understand and retell the narrative, we created our own images to represent key parts of the story.

Week 3

In Geography, we have been studying lines of latitude and longitude. We started by recapping compass points -north, south, east and west on the yard.

 

In English,  we have been writing simple Kenning poems using imaginative words and phrases to describe different objects and characters. We then used the iPads to animate our poems, bringing our ideas to life through movement.

In Maths,   we have practised putting numbers in the correct order from smallest to largest and largest to smallest. We have also learned how to round numbers to the nearest 10 to help us estimate and check our answers.

 

 

In Art,  we have been learning how to scale up our bird designs to make them larger while keeping the correct proportions. We used charcoal as our drawing tool, exploring different techniques to create texture, tone and shading.

Week 2

In English, we have been developing our writing skills by creating short diary entries in the role of the pilot, imagining how he might think and feel. We have also been exploring different ways to begin our sentences with adverbials to make our writing more interesting and engaging for the reader.

 

In Maths, we have been developing our number skills by ordering numbers and comparing them to identify which is greater and which is smaller. We have also been practising rounding numbers to the nearest 10, helping us to improve our understanding of place value and number patterns.

 

In History, we enjoyed creating a giant timeline to explore prehistory, travelling back through time to the Stone Age and beyond. This hands-on activity helped us visualise the vast length of prehistoric time and make connections between different periods in history.

Week 1

We have had a wonderful first week in Willow Class, and the children have settled in really well. They have been working hard to get to know all of our new routines and expectations, and we are very proud of how positively they have approached the start of the school year. All of the class have a new reading book to take home. We kindly ask that you encourage your child to read every day and record their reading in their new homework diary. We love seeing what the children are reading at home and celebrating their reading achievements with them in school. Thank you for your continued support.

In Art this week, we have been learning about prehistoric art and looking at examples of cave paintings from long ago. Inspired by this style, the children created their own artwork by drawing British wildlife using the shapes and techniques seen in prehistoric art.

In Maths, we have been learning how ten tens can be exchanged for one hundred using Base 10 materials. The children have explored how 10 ten rods are equal to 1 hundred square, helping them to develop their understanding of place value. Through practical activities, they have learned that when ten groups of ten are combined, they can be regrouped as one hundred. This has supported their confidence in counting, representing and exchanging numbers.

 

 

In PE, we have been learning how to orientate a simple map and use it to direct someone around an orienteering grid course. The children have practised matching the map to their surroundings and using directional language to give clear instructions. Through these activities, they have developed their map-reading skills, improved their spatial awareness and built confidence in navigating from one point to another.